Maria Grazia Chiuri to be Honoured with the Swarovski Award for Positive Change at The Fashion Awards 2017

The British Fashion Council and Swarovski today announce that Maria Grazia Chiuri will receive the Swarovski Award for Positive Change at The Fashion Awards 2017 in partnership with Swarovski. Chiuri will be awarded on Monday 4th December at the Royal Albert Hall in London for her contribution to women’s empowerment in the fashion industry. The award, presented for the first time last year to the late Franca Sozzani, recognises and celebrates individuals who have made a positive impact on society, the environment or both, and forms part of Swarovski’s efforts to promote a more sustainable future for us all. The recipients acknowledge the challenges our world faces and actively seek to address them using their resources to achieve change and positive impact.

As the first female Creative Director in Dior’s history, Maria Grazia Chiuri has, since her appointment in July 2016, created a new chapter for the French luxury house and brought the debate around female empowerment to the fashion runway. Her collections connect fashion to feminism, always responding to the current political climate. Chiuri’s use of Linda Nochlin’s battle-cry essay Why have there been no great women artists? and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists essay and TEDx talk at the Dior shows has truly reverberated around the world, and placed fashion directly within the wider discussions around women’s equality, inspiring many other designers to follow her lead.

Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Swarovski Executive Board, commented: “It is our great pleasure to recognize Maria Grazia Chiuri’s inspirational creativity and positive impact with the Swarovski Award for Positive Change. As Christian Dior’s first female Creative Director, Maria Grazia has combined her own longstanding commitment to female empowerment with true creative magic, to bring today’s most vital conversations to fashion’s front row.”

Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of Dior, commented: “I am delighted and very honoured to receive the Swarovski Award for Positive Change. The feminist movement that has been mine for the longest time has finally struck a resonant chord in society, and this recognition sends a powerful message to all women battling on a daily basis. It also offers a timely opportunity to pay tribute to Franca Sozzani who, last year, was the recipient of the very first award.”

Dame Natalie Massenet, British Fashion Council Chairman, commented: “With this award, Maria Grazia will be celebrated for her successful creative achievements, her contribution to female empowerment within fashion and her determination to encourage women of future generations to believe in themselves. The positive impact she has had on the fashion and global communities makes her a great inspiration to all of us.”

With a vision of women resonating with that of Monsieur Dior, Chiuri has managed to translate the brand’s heritage to fit a modern woman’s life. Her vision has successfully transformed Dior for the new generation, making the brand more youthful and accessible for millennials while still retaining its femininity and heritage as a couture house. Under Chiuri’s direction, Dior has introduced a new form of luxury combining sportswear and eveningwear, with many designs incorporating politically charged messages.

The Fashion Awards in partnership with Swarovski recognise creativity and innovation in fashion. The Fashion Awards celebrate exceptional individuals whose imagination and creativity have broken new ground in fashion globally over the past 12 months and brands and businesses that have transformed the possibilities of fashion today. The event hosted in fashion’s creative capital, London, raises money to nurture future generations of fashion talent. The BFC Education Foundation is the charitable partner to The Fashion Awards 2017 in partnership with Swarovski.